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(No llodeh) N. M. RITTENHOUSE.

TELEGRAPHUABLE.

No. 272.774. Patented Peb.20,1883.

eases J7ZZ/67&Z*074 0 Zaefllfi' 7 W 0 0 ife? zouae UNITED STATES PATENT rrio NICHOLAS M. RITTENHOUSE, OF BALTiillORE, MARYLAND.

TELEGRAPH-CABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,774, dated February 20,1883.

Application filed April 27, 188:).

10 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NIonoLAs M. Rrr'rnn- HOUSE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Cables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of multiplewire telegraph-cables which are adapted for use under ground, the several electrical conductors in said cables beinginsulated from each other, and protected by an inclosing-pipe from contact with the ground or other external objects.

The object of my invention is to simplify the means employed for insulating from each other the several conductors in an underground cable belonging to the above-mentioned class, and to provide at a minimum cost a highly flexible multiplcwire telegraph-cable capable of being laid within its inclosing and protecting pipe with ease and rapidity, and

without danger of breaking the insulating material employed for separating the conductors from each other; also, to effectually insulate the several conductors in a simple and economical manner; furthermore, to avoid any special or extra contrivance or any change in the construction of the cable at the points where bends or elbows occur in the inclosingpipe; also,to provide for the ready withdrawal of one or more of the conductors from the inclosing-pipe without necessitating the disturbance of or removal from the tube of the remaining conductors. To such end I form the multiple-wire telegraph-cable of conductingwires separated and insulated from each other by a like number of separate independent sets or series of insulating-beads or tubular sections, one set being provided for each wire, and the whole being laid within a protectingpipe formed of lead, iron, earthenware, or of any suitable insulating material, made in sections connected together by suitablejoints.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l represents a section of the inclosing and protecting pipe, with a portion broken away in order to show the inclosed cable. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section thereof. Fi 3 shows a short section of one of the cables on a somewhat enlarged scale. Fig. 4. represents one of the insulating-beads or tubular sections.

(No model.)

The tube or pipe A for inclosing and protecting the cable can be made of any suitable material, earthenware-such as terra-cotta-- being preferred on aeount of its chcapness, durability, and insulating properties. Wood or metal could, however, be used, if desired.

B indicates the conducting-wires, of which there can be as many as desired in forming the cable. Upon each wire is strung a set or series of insulating-beads or short tubular sections, G, each wire being provided with a distinct and separate set ofsuch beads or sections. These beads or sections can be made of glass, porcelain, or of any ireferred insulating material, and of any desired diameter, with a central perforation for the passage of the wire. The straight tubular form herein shown is the preferred one, for the reason that such shape admits of the ends of the beads or sections being brought closely together upon the wire, so as in effect to form a continuous jointed flexible tube, completely covering and insulating the wire. This shape also allows the wires composing thecableto be brought closely together, and at the same time effectively insulated, and hence a large number of wires can be laid within a comparatively small space.

In constructing the cable the beads or sections can be first strung upon the conductingwires, and the latter then brought together and passed through section after section of the pipe; or the beads could be strung upon the conducting-wires as the cable is being laid. The tubular form of bead adopted gives them strength and durability, and also allows any single wire to be drawn out of the cable without breaking the beads on the remaining wires, since the heads will readily slide past each other.

The flexibility of the cable will admit of the use of any ot'the ordinary elbows or pipe-bends in changing the direction without requiring any change in the construction of the beads or sections or any extra contrivances at the points where such bends in the pipe occur, The pipe-sections can be laid under the sidewall; or streets, or under ground in any other locality, and can be provided with hand-holes, with suitable doors wherever deemed necessary, in order to allow access to the wires without taking up the pipes.

Heretofore a cable has been composed of electrical conducting-wires, run through perforations in a series of insulating-buttons, with a supporting-rope passing centrally through the said buttons, and in some instances such cable has been laid in a pipe; but in such cable each button has a number of perforations for the conducting-wires, which are all passed through each button employed. These buttons are liable to break during the act of passing the wires through them or of drawing out a wire, and in case of the breakage of a defective button the entire cable must be taken apart in order to replace it by a sound one; but under my improvement each wire has its separate series ofconducting beads or sections, so that in the event of any damage to a button or buttons it will only be necessary to withdraw the wire carrying the injured member, which withdrawal can be effected rapidly and easily and without injury to the remaining portion of the cable.

In conclusion, I will observe that any or all of the pipe-sections can be divided longitudinally into two halves or portions, which, when fitted together, form the complete pipe section or sections. In this way, after the pipe having any or all of its sections thus divided and fitted together to form the complete pipe-sections has been laid, the upper half or portion of the pipe can be removed to allow access to its interior for the purpose of repairing the cable. Also, the bends orbranches of all kinds can be thus split or divided and fitted together to form the complete pipe for the same purpose.

It has also been proposed to cover the conducting-wires of a cable with insulating-beads and to then lay the same in a gutta-percha tube tilled with cement; but in such case, after the cable has been once incased and embedded within the cement, none of the wires can be removed, nor can other wires be added to the cable; but by my arrangement the cable can at any time be provided with additional wires, or one or more of its wires removed, without disturbing the others. Also, it has been proposed to coat the wire with insulating material, then place around the same shortinsulatingpipes formed of two halves at certain distances apart, then coat the same with some insulating material, and then place the wires in a metal pipe made in two halves; but in my invention the beads are continuous upon the wire, and no insulating material save the heads is required. In another instance beads or rings have been employed at the joints of cables-that is, where the ends of two or more wires meet-said rings being made to surround the entire cable. Again, a series of non-conducting balls or globes have been joined together, so that the bores through the same shall form a continuous passage through which the wires or cables previously coated with some insulating material are passed. These joined balls in effect constitute a protectingpipe for the wires or cable.

What I claim is A multiple-wire telegraph-cable consisting of an assemblage of wires each independent of the others, and the entire surface of each covered with short tubular sections of vitreous material, said sections being strung loosely on the wire with their ends abutting against each other, with a free or jointless connection be tween each tubular section, substantially as described, whereby each wire is separated and insulated from the other, and all capable of being bent without straining or breaking the tubular sections, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit- DGSSES.

NICHOLAS M. RITTENHOUSE.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTUS W. DODGE, WALTER S. WILKInsoN. 

